September 22, 2016

Stantec opens downtown Seattle office to be near clients, workers

Photo courtesy of SkB Architects [enlarge]

SkB Architects designed the new office as a multi-generational work space that demonstrates design creativity.

The international engineering and design firm Stantec is opening an office in downtown Seattle on Monday to be closer to clients and help with recruiting in a competitive market.

“I just think it's important that we are a part of the downtown community,” said Eric Overton, a vice president at the company, which is based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Stantec is leasing 16,993 square feet on the sixth floor of 400 Fairview in South Lake Union. The goal is to offer one-stop shopping for clients who want technology consulting, acoustics design, architectural lighting design, and mechanical, electrical and structural engineering.

About 50 people, mostly from the company's Lynnwood office, will transfer to 400 Fairview, and Overton said another 25 will be hired there in the next 24 months.

Electrical engineer and Stantec principal Michael Newbury will head the Seattle office. Overton, who is business leader for building projects in the West, will be based there.

Overton

Overton said the engineering industry competes for employees with the likes of Boeing, Amazon.com and Microsoft. A lot of those younger workers want to live in Capitol Hill, Green Lake and Ballard, and work nearby, he said.

“We've actually had struggles at times recruiting these folks because they don't want to come to Lynnwood,” he said. “They want to be in downtown.”

On the other hand, he said Stantec has employees who like Lynnwood because there is more affordable housing in Snohomish County.

Stantec has 22,000 employees in over 400 locations. It provides engineering, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, surveying, environmental sciences, project management and project economics.

The company offers water engineering and environmental consulting in the Bellevue office. Some of that staff will move to Lynnwood, which will have about 80 employees providing the same services as in Seattle.

SkB Architects designed the Seattle office. Stantec said it is a multi-generational work space that demonstrates design creativity. It has non-traditional collaboration spaces, and areas for training and industry gatherings.

A “Gather Wall” will show exhibits about the firm's local work. There also will be an incubator for testing acoustical materials and lighting fixtures, and space for client demonstrations.

Stantec's work is relationship-based, Overton said, so the office will reflect its client's projects and show what Stantec can do. “I think one of the challenges this industry has is how do you explain it to people who are not in this type business,” he said.

Overton was president and CEO and Newbury was a principal at Sparling, a privately held electrical engineering and lighting design firm that Stantec acquired in 2015. Sparling closed its Seattle office in 2012 after 65 years in the city, and the staff moved to Lynnwood.

Stantec has not had mechanical engineers in the Northwest, but plans to hire them in Seattle and Lynnwood, while also adding other staff here.

Overton said the firm is busy thanks to the great local economy, and the Puget Sound region offices are helping Stantec go after jobs in the West.

Locally, Overton said, the company is doing a lot of high-rise work for clients such as Amazon.com, Vulcan Real Estate, Touchstone Corp. and Clise Properties. It is working on the Lincoln Square expansion in Bellevue, Swedish Medical Center's expansion on First Hill in Seattle, and doing projects for the University of Washington and Washington State University.

Overton said there is some saturation in the commercial office market, but Stantec also is working at Sea-Tac Airport on the north satellite terminal and the baggage handling system.

Institutional investor TIAA recently bought a majority interest in 400 Fairview, with Skanska USA Commercial Development retaining a minority ownership.

Stantec was represented in the lease negotiations by Stantec Corporate Real Estate staff Kristy Crandell and Kathleen McCabe, along with JLL brokers Brian Knies, Chris Hughes and Conan Lee.

The landlord was represented by Trevor Clark of Suite Partners.